Cornell remembered as voice of generation

Music's elite and Hollywood stars have remembered Chris Cornell at a sombre memorial service that focused on the Soundgarden frontman's love of family and friends as much as it did on his musical achievements as one of rock's leading voices.

"Chris was as melodic as The Beatles, as heavy as Sabbath and as haunting as Edgar Allan Poe," Tom Morello, Cornell's Audioslave bandmate, said during his eulogy on Friday.

"The demons he wrestled with were real, but he harnessed those demons and rode them like a mother-flipping chariot of lightning strapped with Marshall stacks to make some of the greatest rock 'n' roll of all time."

Mourners included Brad Pitt, Pharrell Williams, James Franco, Christian Bale and numerous members of rock royalty, many of whom were moved to tears.

Four large portraits of Cornell were on display on a dais where Morello, actor Josh Brolin, Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament, film producer Eric Esrailian and Cornell's Soundgarden bandmates Kim Thayil and Matt Cameron delivered eulogies at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

They all spoke of the rocker's compassion and his delight in his three children.

Cameron said he and Cornell had "so many normal dad conversations" about the Cornell kids: Christopher, Toni and Lily.

Scores of fans gathered outside the cemetery during the service awaiting a public viewing of Cornell's grave site on Friday afternoon.

"We had to be here. He was part of our generation," said 49-year-old Marcus Dubray, breaking into tears. He and his wife were visiting Los Angeles from Sacramento for her birthday when they heard about Cornell's service.

Melody Andrade brought her four-year-old son Jude. The pair wore matching T-shirts that read, 'Say Hello 2 Heaven', the title of a Temple of the Dog song Cornell wrote.

"I feel like this is just as big as the death of Elvis or John Lennon. That's why I had to bring my son," Andrade said. "There will never be another. He's a modern day Freddie Mercury."

Cornell, 52, was pronounced dead May 18 after he was found unresponsive in a Detroit hotel room hours after performing a concert with Soundgarden.